S.W.I.T.C.H: Fly Frenzy by Ali Sparkes
| S.W.I.T.C.H: Fly Frenzy by Ali Sparkes | |
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| Category: Confident Readers | |
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Reviewer: John Lloyd
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| Summary: A good first sequel for a good series, with more buggy transformations for our young heroes, and hints about what to expect from future books too. | |
| Buy? Yes | Borrow? Yes |
| Pages: 128 | Date: February 2011 |
| Publisher: OUP | |
| ISBN: 978-0192729330 | |
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Josh and Danny have only recently recovered from being turned into spiders by the peculiar scientist woman next door. But however adamant they are it'll never happen again, they don't foresee a time when they're willingly taking a repeat dose of the SWITCH serum, becoming tiny flying detectives, and almost drinking up spills from the toilet rim...
If anything Ali Sparkes is however becoming predictable. I just knew before opening this that she would give away a lot about the intrigue behind the series by telling Danny and Josh it all - yet still prove she had enough left in store to keep us wanting to read on throughout future books. I knew too her craft in easily endearing young heroes would still stand her in good stead for this first return to the world of SWITCH.
But without the clue on the front cover I would have been surprised this story related to a bit of topiary vandalism. Such old-fashioned and simple detail I would normally associate with something more old-school like the charming Goffins series by Jeanne Willis. But there are still some very fresh and modern elements here, ranging all the way up to one of the heroes nearly being eaten (again).
In fact Ali is her familiar self when combining the real with the magical, and it's only after a lot of the former that our heroes engage in the latter. In their short time as flies, with various instances when the twins are separated, at peril or admiringly sniffing poo, we see the plotting finesse of Ms Sparkes in miniature. There's less finesse in all the fascination with insect bodily functions, but who cares that much, when this will clearly, predictably, be another success?
I must thank the author and her publishers for my review copies.
The series started with Spider Stampede.
Ali Sparkes S.W.I.T.C.H series in Chronological Order
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You can read more book reviews or buy S.W.I.T.C.H: Fly Frenzy by Ali Sparkes at Amazon.co.uk Amazon currently charges £2.99 for standard delivery for orders under £20, over which delivery is free.
You can read more book reviews or buy S.W.I.T.C.H: Fly Frenzy by Ali Sparkes at Amazon.com.
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